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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28489272">Philia and Pragma</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/N8schatten/pseuds/N8schatten'>N8schatten</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who, Doctor Who &amp; Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode Fix-It: s04e08 Silence in the Library, F/M, River and Jacks friendship, but like siblings, the love each other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:33:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28489272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/N8schatten/pseuds/N8schatten</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>And Darillium was over.<br/>Tomorrow she will leave for the library. And she will die there. The Doctor thought he was clever, but River was better, she had met her future self. The one living and caring for Cal. She knew why Lux was so desperate to get into the library. She didn’t know what was waiting for her in the library, but she knew in the end she would die there.<br/>Alone, because her husband would not know who she was.</p>
<p>“How about we go out?” Jack finally whispered after fifteen minutes. “One last hurray. One last pub brawl. One last night between friends, before everything else is over?” </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>On her last day to life Jack takes River out for a drink, after that every thing changes</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Harkness &amp; River Song, The Doctor/River Song, Twelfth Doctor/River Song</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Philia and Pragma</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Look this was the first thought I had waking up in 2021.<br/>Yes I screamed, because…!!! And like hell I'm not writing this!<br/>Also why hasn't someone thought about this???</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>River stared at the picture on her desk. The bright red earth of Darillium bathed in the moonlight of Darilliums triple moons. Glowing like silver. Her husband holding her from behind and grinning at the camera. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nardole had made the picture on one of their first day’s on the little planet. They had been far, far away from the singing towers, but the sight of the red sand and the bright purple see had been equally amazing. The singing of the towers had only been a faint whisper, but it was even more beautiful mixed with the soft sound of waves lapping against the beach. Her husband, her idiot Scottsman had played his guitar the whole time. All the songs he knew River liked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Queen, because her dad had sung it with her when they were children. Kiss, because Amy liked it. The Beatles, Elvis and Stevie Wonder, because River had grown up in the 60’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>24 years of happiness. Of love and honesty. River wanted back. She yearned for her husband and the Tardis, but at the same time she knew that it was over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t stupid, she had spent most of her early University time reading up on the Doctor. She knew about her own fate. She knew that she would die soon, because Darillium was their last night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Darillium was over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tomorrow she will leave for the library. And she will die there. The Doctor thought he was clever, but River was better, she had met her future self. The one living and caring for Cal. She knew why Lux was so desperate to get into the library. She didn’t know what was waiting for her in the library, but she knew in the end she would die there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alone, because her husband would not know who she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s with the long face, darling?“ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River’s head shot up and despite herself she smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the door, leaning against the doorframe in all his glory stood Captain Jack Harkness. He was smirking at her with all his usual flirtiness and River smirked back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Jack!” She greeted and he frowned at the way she didn’t immediately throw an innuendo at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, something is definitely wrong here!” He declared and walked into her office. “River Song isn’t flirting back. Should I be concerned? What did your husband do?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He asked her with a sparkle in his eyes, but River felt her smile disappear. “It’s not what he did.” She whispered and turned away from her friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She and Jack went far back. They had met at a bar, when she was Mels and for some reason he just had stuck around. Never even wavering when she changed her face. She couldn’t even count how many times she had killed him, because she thought he was one of Kovarian’s people. Because she had forgotten him. But Jack, sweet Jack never even blinked when she did it. Instead he came back to life and offered to buy her a drink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had learned about him and the Doctor, who he became immortal and how much he still misses his old friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack never even flinched when she talked about a con she just did or a bloody revolution she started. Instead he listened. Her trust in him went so far that she told him about the doctor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How much she loved that stupid man and how much she hurt. Jack was the only person in time and space, besides the Tardis, that knew exactly how she felt. What remarks the Doctor made that reduced her to tears. He was the only one River trusted enough to show her pain, well, before 24 years.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's what going to happen.” She finally said and turned back to her friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched the smile disappear from his face. Watched the pain of realization age his face until he looked almost as old as he really was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack knew about her fate, about the library, because she had run to him the day she found out in tears and shaking so hard she couldn’t speak for half an hour. She had been so young, barely even in the third semester. She had found the book by accident while exploring the TARDIS library.. A book about the happening in the library. How a whole team of archeologists had died there, while saving 4022 people. Her name had been the most prominent. She was the person who made it possible to save these people, but she had paid with her life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack had comforted her. In his base underneath Cardiff. His team standing awkwardly around them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack knew, that’s why he rounded her desk and hugged her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“24 years?” He asked softly and River nodded. “Which one?” He asked and River laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Scotsman.” She replied and Jack stopped. “What who?” River laughed. Honest belly shaking laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you didn’t knew either.” It was comforting to know that even Jack, who hunted the Doctor worse that she did, didn’t know about her husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“River, are you telling me he got a new face? That shouldn’t be possible! He did his fill. He had 12 regenerations and…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River pointed to the picture on her desk. Jack went stiff for a moment and she felt his hand tighten in her blouse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She knew of whom he was thinking. Their relationship went both ways. He had come to her after losing Ianto, after losing his grandson and his daughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Jack whispered and River shuffled to the side in her chair so that he could sit next to her. Jack immediately pulled her onto his lap and held her close. Seeking the comfort he craved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He told me why he chose that face.” River said gently, carding her fingers through Jack’s hair. “Back when he still traveled with Donna, they went to Pompeii, the day the Vesuvius broke out. They saved a family from Pompeii, it’s the Face of the father he took. To remember, he can’t save them all, but someone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack refused to look up for a moment longer and River wasn’t in the mood to say anything either. So they stayed like this. Jack in her chair, with her in his lap. His hand tightly around her waist and his face hidden in her neck. River felt the tremors running through him. He still was missing his team, his friends. His love and River never  stopped brushing his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a surreal moment of peace and happiness, River didn’t think it was possible. Not when she would die tomorrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about we go out?” Jack finally whispered after fifteen minutes. “One last hurray. One last pub brawl. One last night between friends, before everything else is over?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Before I lose you too.</span>
  </em>
  <span> River heard his silent plea and she nodded. “I mean I have essays to grade, but I don’t think that will matter after tomorrow.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack didn’t laugh and River felt a wand of regret run through her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go out.” She whispered and Jack finally looked up. “Just us two. One last time.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kissed her then. Soft and gentle. A kiss filled with longing and lost. The promise of happiness she would never get. Jack kissed her all the time, but it was different. He kissed for comfort. To show love he couldn’t articulate. To tell people he needed them. River understood and she kissed back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kissing John wasn’t kissing her husband. Kissing John was kissing her best friend. Like kissing her father on the cheek. A show of love that wasn’t sexual. Love in a more purer form, Philia, the ancient Greeks had called it. Intimate authentic friendship.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go out.” He whispered against her lips and brushed a thumb over her cheek. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They went out. To that little bar hidden between the music and art department of Luna university. The one where nobody would listen, because the people in that bar were lost in their art. They sat at a corner table and River told John about meeting her husband again and about the diamond. How the Doctor had built her a restaurant on Darillium so she could hear the towers sing. How he built a house, a home, that was only theirs. She told Jack about the piece of land that was theirs. A piece of land that would be theirs forever and River gave Jack a key.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go there, when I’m gone and make sure he’s alright. Please Jack.” She had whispered, when he had turned his head to the side. “For me. Do this for me. Look after him, keep him safe, because I can’t do it any longer.” He had accepted the key, but hadn’t looked her into the eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An hour and a lot of liquid later River had shown him the sonic. Her sonic. The one the Doctor had made just for her. Jack, the idiot, he was had taken it from her with a drunken grin and had scanned her with it. The bright blue light had made her laugh and cry at the same time and River wanted her husband so badly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had left the bar shortly after that, to find a pub to start a brawl, because that’s what they always did. Besides, River always knew where a few Sontaran were.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack stared down at his friend for a moment longer. River had passed out about the moment they had entered her house on Luna. She drank so much more that she usually did. River wasn’t one to drink until black out, because she was a trained killer. Something Jack knew from experience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But knowing what would happen tomorrow… in a few hours. Knowing she had left a happy life behind her and was going to her death, he understood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack didn’t fear death. He had died so many times it had lost the dark gloomy aura it had when he was a little boy. He was immortal, but that didn’t mean he was a fool. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rose had saved him, because she loved him and she gave him a gift he was infinitely grateful for. Rose gave him the possibility to meet River to meet Ianto. Rose had touched his life, had changed it to the better and River had been the friend he needed, the one that didn’t judge, but smiled as she ran into danger with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He would miss River Song. That crazy whirlwind of excitement and danger she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe that was the reason why he hadn't drunk so much tonight, why he was still mostly sober, because he needed to be the stronger one tonight. He needed to take care of River. His best friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was broken and hurting and Jack had done all he could to keep her safe. He sighed and reached for her clock. He glanced at River again and set the alarm, so she would wake up in time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without a word he placed the clock back onto her bedside table and checked his pockets, everything was where it belonged. He had all he needed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Luve you Sweetie…” River’s soft drunk mumbling made him smile and Jack reached once more into his pocket to retrieve a pill. He knew River wouldn’t be as hungover as a normal person, but she needed all her senses for what was to come.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Always…” She mumbled again and Jack stopped. “…completely.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her wedding vow. That was her wedding vow. He had been there for the proper wedding, River’s maid of honor no matter what headache they had given Bowtie. Jack had been at her real wedding, the first one at least. He had laughed with Amelia Pond and flirted with Rory, whom he remembered from that strange timeline, that Jack really shouldn’t remember. The last centurion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her family, all gone. Jack wondered if he could change her parents fate, if he could give River a few more years with them. A few more happy moments. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He already was an impossible thing, why shouldn't he try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack sighed and shook his head. He really didn’t want to meet the weeping angels again. The last time River had saved his ass, besides, he couldn’t save her parents just so they would lose River again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodby River Song.” He whispered into her ears and placed one last kiss to her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he set the coordinates in his very own vortex manipulator he didn’t look back. He couldn’t bear to see her this peaceful, knowing how she would die.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hello Sweetie</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Get out</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, you’re not, are you? Please tell me you’re not archaeologists.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah. Professor River Song, archaeologist.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Pretty boy, with me I said!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh I’m Pretty boy?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>For what?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The usual. Coming when I call.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That was you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, shall we do diaries, then? Where are we this time? Going by your face, I'd say it's early days for you, yeah? So, um... Crash of the Byzantium, have we done that yet? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Obviously ringing no bells.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>All right, um...oh...Picnic at Asgard. Have we done Asgard yet? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Obviously not. Blimey, very early days, then. Huh, life with a time traveller-never knew it could be such hard work. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Look</span>
  <em>
    <span> at you. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You're young.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m really not.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, but you are! Your eyes! You’re younger than I‘ve ever seen you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Doctor please tell me you know who I am?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who are you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Evangelista, please state your current-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Please state your current…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s a data ghost, She’ll be gone in a moment. Miss Evangelista, you’re fine. Just relax; we’ll be with you presently.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know him, don’t you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh god I know this and. We go way back, that man and me…just not this far back.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He hasn't met me yet. I sent him a message but it went wrong. It arrived too early. This is the Doctor in the days before he knew me. And he looks at me...he looks right through me, and it shouldn't kill me, but it does.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, who turned out the lights?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Your screwdriver…looks exactly like mine.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah you gave it to me.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not anyone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Donna Noble has left The Library. Donna Noble has been saved.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Listen, all you need to know is this. I'd trust that man to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, for heaven's sake! Look at the pair of you. We're all going to die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Doctor, one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out. So I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Other Dave, stay with him. Pull him out when he's too stupid to live. Two minutes, Doctor.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know, it's funny, I keep wishing the Doctor was here.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The Doctor is here, isn't he? He is coming back, right?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them. and it's like they're not quite finished. They're not done yet. Well, yes, the Doctor's here. He came when I called, just like he always does. But not my Doctor. Now my Doctor, I've seen whole armies turn and run away. And he'd just swagger off back to his Tardis and open the doors with a snap of his fingers. The Doctor in the Tardis. Next stop, everywhere.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Spoilers. Nobody can open a Tardis by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It does for the Doctor. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I am the Doctor.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah. Some day. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Because she's family! Cal. Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time. Any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything, and he gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So you weren't protecting a patent, you were protecting her. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mister Lux, with me. Anita, if he dies, I'll kill him!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You wouldn't have a chance, and neither do I. I'm timing it for the end of the countdown. There'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Funny thing is, this means you've always known how I was going to die. All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you, the real you, the future you, I mean, you turned up on my doorstep, with a new haircut and a suit. You took me to Darillium to see the Singing Towers. What a night that was. The Towers sang, and you cried.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You wouldn't tell me why, but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to come to the library. You even gave me your screwdriver. That should have been a clue.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There's nothing you can do. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If you die here, it'll mean I've never met you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Time can be rewritten.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare. It's okay. It's okay. It's not over for you. You'll see me again. You've got all of that to come. You and me, time and space. You watch us run.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>River, you know my name. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hush, now</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spoilers</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River woke suddenly and in pain. Her head hurt and there was nausea rising in her. Her hands were used with pain and for a moment all she could do was lay in her bed, her eyes closed and trying to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were faint impressions of light and Jack’s laughter, but most of her memories were blurry and…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River sat up with a start. Light was shining through the window, lighting her bedroom in her house at Luna.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No…NO!” Even though her head was still pounding and she was about to puke she forced herself up. This couldn’t be real she couldn’t miss this trip she couldn’t just…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a bright blue letter leaning against her clock. A TARDIS blue letter and for a moment River’s hearts stopped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please…” She whispered as she reached for the letter. “Please you idiot, don’t you dare. Don’t you dare change our timelines.” She whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If the Doctor had knocked her out, just so he could go in her place she would kill him. Properly this time. But it wasn’t the Doctor's writing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And suddenly the nausea was of a different kind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River didn’t dare to look up from the letter when she reached out to grab her vortex manipulator. She only looked away when she couldn’t find it. Instead her fingers closed around a little pill. For a moment she stared at the little green pill on her nightstand then she looked at the clock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Four days</span>
  </em>
  <span> she had been asleep for four days. How the… She was a light sleeper, no way she would sleep through…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Jack grinning at her two drinks in his hands. “One last drink, the we go home.” “Uh…what is that? It tastes awful!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack…” It’s all she can bring herself to say before she grabs the pill and jumps out of bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“JACK!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The people around her. Real alive people leaving the library turn their heads to stare at her. River doesn’t care. She needs to see him. She needs to see him awake and save and grinning like the idiot she is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment she wonders where he got that stupid people saving thing from, then she remembered her husband. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to kill you!” She whispers, while she pushes through the people, but it sounds weak. More a watery whimper than the treat it is meant to be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had found her vortex manipulator laying on her dining table. A small piece of paper leaning against it. The print of lips on it. River hopes it was one of her poisonous lipstick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mass of people thins out as River bursts into another room. It’s bigger and only very few people are still in there. In a more secluded corner she sees what she’s looking for and her hearts stop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment all she can see is the spacesuit Lux is wearing and her throat tightens. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Run, I can’t stop it. Please my love!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s back on that beach, trapped in a space suit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A guard touches her and River reacts without thinking. She grabs his hand and breaks it. To her surprise the man doesn’t even make a sound. He only grimaces and River watched his hand liquify and then return to its proper state. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, Miss.” The guard say’s and River realizes his eyes are completely orange. He’s a shifter, no wonder that he doesn’t react.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should have thought you had some trauma, but you can’t be here there…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shifter stops and his eyes go wide. “Wait!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River smiles faintly and pushes past him. She forces herself to ignore Lux’s spacesuit or herself lying motionless on a stretcher dressed in another one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack!” She whispered and the people talking turned to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two officers look a bit confused, but it’s Lux’s whose face turns so white River wonder’s if his heart stopped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She doesn’t care. Her best friend is lying on a stretcher. Not moving. He can’t be dead. He’s fucking immortal, something like this can’t kill him. He survived Daleks. He survived centuries buried beneath Cardiff. He was burned alive. Something like this can’t kill him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the next moment she was leaning over the stretcher. Her hand’s pressing against her own face. The voices of the officers ringing in her ears, but she didn't hear them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare.” She says and tears land on Jack’s face. “Don’t you dare die. Do you hear me Jack?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River pushed her hands into her own hair, trying to find the perception filter. It’s hard with the officers pulling on her arms and the shaking of her own hands, but she finds it. Behind the left ear, half hidden by too much hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He's right.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She thinks, with a watery laugh as she pulls the devices from Jack's body. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My hair does eat people.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her own face shimmers and then melts into Jack's face. The officers stop pulling on her. Something heavy hits the ground and River thinks it’s probably Lux’s body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the only thing River sees and hears is Jack. Or the lack of Jack she doesn’t see any motion. She can’t feel his chest rising and he doesn’t breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River grabs the spacesuit with both hands ripping the fabric and the metal inside it apart. “NO.” He’s still not breathing. God he looks so peaceful like this. Calm and serene. Everything that Jack isn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare!” She growls and jams a fist onto his chest. The officers scream, but River ignores them. She has done this before. She started his heart before. It’s harder, to restart Jack’s heart than that of other people. Maybe because it’s immortal. Maybe because it’s so old.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River sees the look on Jack's face. The longing of an end. The desire to die. Jack never wanted to be immortal. He wasn’t born like her or the Doctor. With longer lives than anyone else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was a normal boy from the 53rd century. Mortal and human. Before Bad Wolf he had been human, he would have died like everyone else, but he couldn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare!” River say’s and it’s more a begging than anything else. She presses down on his heart again and again. Trying to restart it. Trying to get him to wake up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can’t look at her best friend. She can’t lose him, like this, not after he saved her life. Not for this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“WAKE UP JACK!” She screams and raises both hands over her head to slam them onto his chest. A rib breaks, but that’s all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t move. He doesn’t take a gasping breath like in the movies. He doesn’t wake up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss I need you to step back from the body and…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River ignores the officer behind her. She is nauseous again, like the pill stopped working. Her best friend is lying here on a fucking stretcher, dead, because he wanted to save her life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack.” She whimpers and finally, she looks back up to his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s still so calm and serene. Happy even. No devilish smirk on his lips. Or an innuendo glimmering in his eyes. “Jack…” River says and she knows it’s the end. No more Captain Jack Harkness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No more Jack. River has her whole life before her. She can go home to Darillium, to her husband, but she feels so hollow and broken. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her best friend is gone. The one person that she never needed to hide from it gone. Gave his life to save her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she thinks about it, she cradles his face and leans in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Philia, Intimate authentic friendship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s her love for Jack. River thinks about all the little moments between them, when she kisses him. One last kiss goodbye. One proclamation of love.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something underneath her skin bursts life. Something inside her heart that had been asleep for all of her life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A connection River always knew was there, but she never really used. The TARDIS hums in her head. It’s still here. The Doctor, this young Doctor and his TARDIS are still here. Her mind is flooded with golden light and love. The love of a mother for her daughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River, her life, started in the time vortex inside the TARDIS, she’s the daughter of the TARDIS.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I am Bad Wolf</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rose Tyler's voice fills her head and the soul of the TARDIS, the bit that always had been with River, inside her hearts, her mind, her core lets out a laugh, a scream and a howl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The golden light of the TARDIS very own soul fills her. It burns, warm and loving. It doesn’t hurt like the golden light of regeneration. Regeneration hurts and burns. This is like a mothers embrace. Like waking up next to her husband on the first day of 24 years.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you for watching over him. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The world around River turns golden and she’s in the air. In front of her is Rose Tyler. Older than she used to be when she still lived in this dimension. She looks happy and content. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you for watching over the Doctor. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rose says and River reaches out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for saving him.” She whispers back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rose takes her hand and the golden light gleams between their joined fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My children.” River turns her head to see the TARDIS. She is in the form of a woman with wild, dark hair. Her mum had told her about it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My daughters.” The TARDIS says and grabs their free hands. “I’m so proud of both of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pulls them both into a hug and kisses their head. “My daughters.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light gets brighter and for a moment all River feels is the happiness of Rose. Content in her world and in her life. And the love of her mother.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Say hi to them for me River. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She will.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the light fades River is back in the library. She leans back, the rest of golden light leaving her fingers. Everything is sharper, louder, more intense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The officers behind her are talking, and their voices are too loud. But River only cares for Jack. She can hear his heart, one slow beat at the time. He’s alive. He’s safe, she hasn’t lost her best friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Common Jack, wake up.” She whispered and he did. His eyes open slowly and River doesn’t even try to hide her tears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack.” She whispers and he smiles up at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They are stuck in a hospital room for three days. Neither of them sleep. Both of them still feel the energy of the TARDIS run through them. Jack says it’s a quiet hum. For River it’s like standing in front of the singing towers. A hymn running through her veins and turning into a choir in her heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither she or Jack allow the medical staff to take any samples. River is a time lord and Jack is immortal. They aren’t dumb and they are too old to even let an argument arise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The police are with them every other hour trying to find out what exactly happened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They lie. They tell them about Jack being a time agent, trying to stop the expedition and working with River to stop it. They tell the police that River had been injured hours before the trip and how Jack had taken her place. They say that the experimental tech that saved Jack, saved the consciousness of River’s team in the main computer of the library. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well Jack tells them that. River just stares at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During the whole time River clutches her screwdriver and her diary. She found both on a banister outside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wants to slap the Doctor and kiss him at the same time. Leaving her diary there, what an idiot. All the secrets inside of it, just inside the library. But at the same time she smiled, because it means he didn’t read it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They let them go after three days because they can indeed save River’s team from the library. All they have to do is recreating their body’s with the samples of DNA their family’s give. River is the one who downloads their consciousness back into the new body’s. She can hear the TARDIS whisper the right steps in her mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s strange how much more connected she is with her mother.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They even save Cal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to find the Doctor.” River sais. They are back in her house on Luna. Jack raises an eyebrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok” He says slowly, and sits down on her couch.but first we need to talk about what happened in the library.” They talk for hours. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack tells her how the TARDIS contacted him for years. Giving him flashes of moments, flash after flash until he knew exactly what would happen in the library. The promise of the TARDIS that he will be safe, but he needed to help. How he drugged her and took her place. She slaps him, but only for risking his life. She drugged him too often. It would make her a hypocrite to slap him for it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River tells him about her vision and for a moment Jack is frozen. “Rose?” He whispered and River laughs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, the Tardis she’s still connected to Rose, Bad Wolf and all.” She explains. “Don’t ask me how. I am too. I was made on the TARDIS, I’m her child, so I have a connection with the TARDIS, much like Rose has.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River stops for a moment. “I’m not the Bad Wolf, that’s Rose, but I’m the child of the TARDIS, we are equals and we both wanted you to live. The TARDIS gave us the means to do it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack is quiet for a long moment. Just looking at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always thought you would hate Rose.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River shakes her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’m grateful for her. She saved the Doctor when he was at his lowest point. Rose made him love himself and I know that. Without Rose I would never have met my husband.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack smiled at her and stood up. He sits down next to her and pulls her into his lab. “Thank you.” He whispers and River kisses his cheek. “All the time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They return to Darillium first. Jack holding onto River’s arm. Their house is dark and still. River knows they are too late. Still she shows Jack around. With a grin and happiness singing in her veins. The song still hasn’t stopped. Jacks has. Hers got a bit more quiet, but it hasn’t stopped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They find Ramon still working in the restaurant. He looks up with surprise, but he smiles when he sees River.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They talk for a while and River tries her best to stay stern while Jack flirts with Ramon. In the end they learn what the need to know. Ramon is still in contact with Nardole. So he can tell them that they are in Britain of 2017.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River kisses Ramons cheeks goodby and makes a reservation for the next Christmas on their usual table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they leave they exchange a look. “England 2017.” Jack mutters. “Really your friend could be a bit more specific!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They start in Cardiff, because the Torchwood base is there and maybe they find the Doctor from there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a week of nothing, they go to London. For four weeks they go from one old friend to the next. Sarah Jane Smith welcomes them in her home and lets them sleep there too. Luke is grinning and fishes for a story every moment they have. River indulges the boy with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Martha Jones points a gun in River’s face and only lowers it when Jack steps in. She and Mickey need a bit of convincing that River is indeed the Doctor's wife, but when they finally believe them they are much warmer than before. Neither of them have seen the Doctor since Bowtie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River goes to Donna on her own. Wilf opens the door and grins widely at her. She had spent a lot of time with Wilf especially after Donna lost her memories. So seeing him is like balm for her soul. He tells her about his great-grandchildren and River gets the chance to meet them when Donna drops by to leave them at Wilfs for the weekend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe Donna does remember them a bit, or at least the impression they left, because she’s a lot softer with River than she used to be to strangers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still Wilf hasn’t the faintest idea where the Doctor could be. River promises they will visit once she finds him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stop searching London for a while and return to Leadworth. Her grandfather opens the door and for a moment River wants to curl into a ball and weep. Her parents are gone and now she’s here. Brian is the only one of the family knowing about River and who she is, so seeing him brighten up is like a slap to the face and 24 years all over again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Darling” Her grandfather sais and steps out to hug her. The most amazing thing about Brian Williams are his hugs. They are exactly like her dads and for a moment River can act like it’s her dad hugging her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Gramps.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“River?” The voice of a man makes River look up and for a moment she thinks that this is her husband who regenerated again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m…” She flounders for a moment, but the man smiles brightly. “It’s nice to be the one knowing more than you for once!” He stepped out and held out his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anthony Williams, I’m your brother.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stay with her grandfather and brother for the night. Tony was adopted in 1946 after the war ended. His father, a close friend of their parents had died in World War II and his mother had died a few months after the news had arrived. So their parents had taken him in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently he had moved to England for a while in the 60s to study abroad and then moved permanently over in 1972 to marry the woman he loved. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And my…our parents?” River askes with a shaking voice. Tony smiles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They lived for about ten years with us, before they moved back to the USA, something about timelines.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River stares at her little brother for a moment. She was squeezing Jack's hand hard enough that he was hissing regularly. “They lived here? For ten years?” She askes with a whisper and He nodded. “Yeah.” Tony stood up and settled on her other side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riv, you will see them again.” He said softly. “I grew up with you. You babysat me so many times. In fact you told so many stories about the Doctor that our niece is obsessed with him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack laughs out loud. “Well if there is one person to tell the best stories about the Doctor, then it’s River.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They move in with her brother and grandfather after that. River leaves her number with Sarah Jane and Luke and promises them to visit once she finds her husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the end they found him by accident. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or some of his friends found them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“River Song?” A hesitant voice said and River turned to a girl that looked as if she had been left loose in her husband's closet. There was the scarf number 4 used to wear. Red question marks on the lapels and…was she wearing a bowtie too?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then it hit River. “JACK!” She hollered. Her eyes never strayed from the girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A moment later her friend ran out of the shop he had been in. It was owned by one of his friends, so they had visited it, to find something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is…” Jack stopped just as cold as River had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We forgot UNIT.” She said dryly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhm, excuse me?” The girl said and they turned back to her. River knew what would happen before Jack even opened his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, I’m Captain Jack Harkness.” River rolled her eyes in fond amusement. “Stop flirting with her!” She said with a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please don’t!” The girl squeaked and River just shook her head dumbfounded while Jack </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> started flirting with the girl. The poor thing in response started choking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“INHALER!” Another voice snapped and it was River’s turn to grin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kate Leftbridge Steward!” She called and the other woman just sighed. “Not here, let’s go to my office.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The office was still as River remembered it. “Do you still have the red Louboutins here that I lost a few years ago?” She asked curiously. She paused, or Jack's old vortex manipulator?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The shoes are still here, but you would need to fill out the required paperwork to get them back, for the vortex manipulator…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Doctor took it.” Kate cut in. “He is the reason you’re here am I right?” Kate asked and River nodded. “I’m looking for him. The last person who saw him only could tell me he’s in the country.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kate's face got a bit softer. “This way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were led down a few halls with several other agents turning their heads to look after River and Jack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please excuse my staff, they aren’t used to any…” Kate sighed. “VIPs?” Osgood quipped in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Close enough.” Kate muttered and then they walked into the room that was Kate's official office.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So…” Jack started, but closed his mouth again, when Kate pulled a large blackboard to the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It revealed a bunch of pictures. Most of them are old. Companions and Doctors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pictures that stood out were the one with Nardole and a sweet black girl hugging her husband and completely ignoring his grumpy face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River chuckled and brushed a thumb over the picture. “Who is she?” She asked. “I know Nardole. I was the one to get them together, but she…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bill Potts. She’s a student of the Doctor.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Student?” Jack asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He teaches at St. Johns in Bristol. Don’t ask me what he teaches but…hey?!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, but I’ve been looking for my husband for the last five weeks. And this is the first time that I have a lead.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before either of the two could say anything River had the coordinates of St. John's University punched into her vortex manipulator and she and Jack disappear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>St. Johns as it turned out was a large building complex. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“River!” Jack shouts and River turns on her heels. For one she wasn’t wearing high heels, but her boots, and right now she was thankful for it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack stood on the other end of the hallway a confused looking student in his grasp. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, did you find him?” River asks and Jack nods to the student. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The poor boy looked completely confused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s in the main hall of the physics building. Which is on the other side of campus. The main lecture hall is down the entry way then left and then down two flights of stairs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” River shouts and she and Jack took off. Running across campus was something River was used to. She had spent half of her Uni day’s running with the Doctor and for some reason, most of that time she spent fighting Sontarans. It wasn’t even Daleks. Which was a bit frustrating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still it was nice that most students were in class, so nobody really paid attention to them racing across campus.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they entered the physics building. The first building with a placate. River took a moment to breath. She would see her husband again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They would be fine and…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Common,” Jack shouted from down the hall. River started running again and followed after Jack. Still she was behind him. So when he opened the door with a bang, all she heard was the gaping of students followed by her husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“WHAT exactly are you…JACK?!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River stopped in the middle of the hallway. Her eyes closed, just listening to the voice of her husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Doctor!” Jack basically purred and River stifled a giggle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell are you doing here?!” Her husband asked again and River could hear the students mumble. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw don’t be like this.” Jack pouted and River could hear his desire to just grab her husband and kiss him. But Jack also had listened to her drunken ramblings about this face's hate for touch and how they had needed time until they really touched each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Jack sounded surprised. “Hello there!” River finally stepped into the door. Just enough to see him. Most people wouldn’t even see her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked so tense. Like he was waiting for Daleks and explosions. River notices how the Doctors eyes flickered up to his students and how they stopped at Bill. She really was quite beautiful. River wondered if the rainbow shirt was a statement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack stood with his back to the Doctor grinning at the students.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Jack Harkness.” He said with a bow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop it.” Her husband grumbled, but there was a smile in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw common, Doctor, the last time we met you set me up with a date! Thank you by the way, he was nice.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack, stop turning my students brains into mush, most of them don’t have much already!” The scolding sounded a lot harsher than River thought it really was, but it made the students grumble and Bill laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you’re Bill?” Jack asked and scooted into the free seat next to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Jack Harkness.” The girl looked him up and down and took the hand with a grin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m a lesbian.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack blinked at the girl and then turned to the Doctor. He looked a bit shocked and utterly baffled and then his face lightened into an absolutely smitten expression. “I like her!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too.” Her husband said and he looked so much like a proud grandfather. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anyway!” Jack said, letting go of Bill's hand to face the Doctor fully. “Your wife gave me a task.” Jack said with a smile and River saw the way the Doctor just…stopped. He stopped breathing. He stopped moving. She closed her eyes and tried to feel his emotions. The beauty of this face was that his emotions were around him. Not on his sleeve, but in his aura. But right now there was nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What…” Her husband whispered and Jack rummaged through his pockets. “Give me a …oh there it is. Before anyone could get a good look. Jack threw it at the Doctor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River made an instinctive step closer to him. Her need to protect him, kicking in, but the Doctor just grabbed the thing out of the air. It was her sonic screwdriver. River froze and patted her pockets. Her diary was still there, but her sonic…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did you get that?” Her husband asked and Jack leaned back with a grin. “That’s the task, she wants it back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor glared at the sonic and then pushed a hand through his hair. Ruffling it even further.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not …”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doctor.” Jack said gently. “She wants it back.” He said and leaned his head only the slightest bit into River’s direction. Most of the students didn’t get it, but Bill turned her head and gasped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River didn’t really notice, because she watched her husband turn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their eyes met and time stopped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tears sprang into his eyes and he opened his mouth, only to close it again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“River” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a whisper, only a hush, but it was enough to make River surge forwards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leaped onto the stage and into his arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“River” he whispered. Stumbling back several steps, but holding her closer. “River.” She felt him. She could feel his thoughts and feelings. The mental connection they made over 24 years snapping back into place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H-How?” He whispered into her hair and River almost couldn’t bring herself to talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jack, he took my place, the Tardis sent him her memories of the library and he got a perception filter and he drugged me to keep me away…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor only hugged her tighter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This isn’t the end she whispered. “24 years wasn’t the end, Doctor. We…we have time. All the time in the universe.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>River leaned back and met his eyes. She saw the hope in his eyes. The realization that it wasn’t the end. That they had more time than 24 years. That this was only the start.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There are no more lines we can change.” She whispered. “Only time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kissed her. A kiss filled with all the love and adoration, the hope and the pain and River kissed back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t philia.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t even eros. This was pragma. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was committed, companionate love. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was time and pain and adventures. All the years of challenge turning into love that would hold up against everything. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>All the quotes belong to the writers I'm just using them for the pain!</p>
<p>OK there is something I need to talk about, that upset me last time I posted something. Do not leave prompt in the comments. It ruins the comment for writer, because it fells like you only comment to leave a request<br/>I'm happy to think about proms but please leave them at my Tumblr: RiverSmithMelody.<br/>Thank you for you'r understanding.<br/>Now that this is out of the way, I want to say thanks to all the amazing comments I've got so far.</p>
<p>Oh and something else. If anyone starts a "Rose is the Doctors true love" discussion in my comments, I'm banning them! Both Rose and River are important to the Doctor. Both of them love him. He needs both of them. End of discussion.<br/>I respect Rose, but as you can see I like River more.<br/>Thank you all for understanding.</p>
<p>Love Raven</p></blockquote></div></div>
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